


A Different Kind of Hero

by Dreamsofmusic



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:46:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28138656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamsofmusic/pseuds/Dreamsofmusic
Summary: Emily didn’t become a teacher for the pay or the praise. She did it because she loved helping others. She wasn’t brave enough to be on the frontline of emergencies. She didn’t have the stomach to be a doctor. She had the heart of a teacher, believing no one should be left behind. As her family and friends around her learned how to navigate emergencies with masks she discovered how she could reach her kids at home.Starts during season 2.
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

Palm View Private School was a dream job and Emily Mackensie thought she had won the lottery. She had the experience and glowing references, but when she had applied for the job she never expected to get it. But after seven weeks she couldn’t imagine working anywhere else; the kids were amazing and with the small classes she could really bond with them, she got on with 90% of her co-workers like a house on fire and she had almost full control over the music department. It had taken her eight years to get a job like this, and as she examined her classroom she knew everything she had done was worth it.  
“Okay everyone, the lunch bell is going to ring now. Put away your books and stick your hands on your head,” she said to her third graders. The eleven children rushed to put their books in the middle of the table and be the first with their hands on their head.  
“Very good. I think the Washington table was ready first, then Franklin, Hamilton and Jefferson.” Table by table the children lined up by the door. Blake, at the top of the line, lifted the lunch box basket and passed out the boxes to the kids who brought a packed lunch to school.  
“Now Miss Mitchell will walk you to the cafeteria. And after recess I want to hear glowing reports about the best class in the school. Yes?”  
“Yes Miss Mackensie,” the children chorused. Beth Mitchell, the teaching assistant, stood up from the computer and walked to open the door into the hallway.  
“What do you have for lunch Miss Mac?” Rosa asked, stopping in the doorway.  
“Chicken salad,” Emily replied. Every day Rosa asked the same question, and the following day she always had for lunch what Emily had. It was sweet.  
“I have a tuna roll,” she said.  
“Delicious. Now go enjoy it. And have fun outside.” The rest of the class walked out and Joey closed the door behind them.  
The chicken salad in the staff room could wait, Emily thought. The half finished display board had been annoying her all day. She just needed to stick up the border of European flags that the children had coloured in. She pulled a chair over to the wall and grabbed a handful of drawing pins to begin hanging the flags. Deep in concentration, she hardly heard the door opening and when she heard a voice she jumped.  
“This is one of our third grade classrooms, this would be your son’s class. Miss Mackensie, I thought you would be at lunch.” Principal Summers shouldn’t have been surprised to see her newest teacher working through her lunch, but she had forewarned her about the tour.  
“I was just getting this display finished,” Emily said, climbing off the chair and walking to the centre of the room. She could hear Leah’s voice in her head ‘Of course the hot parent would see you standing on a chair.’  
“Of course. Miss Mackensie is one of our most creative teachers. The school is a lot more colourful thanks to her. This is Mr Diaz, he is hoping to enrol his son here,” Principal Summers said.  
“Of course. I’m scheduled to meet you later I think,” Emily said. He nodded as the Principal spoke again.  
“Yes, once we finish the tour. I’ll have Brenda call. Now we’ll let you get back to your work.” Emily smiled as they left the room.  
“Note. Lock the door when decorating,” Emily muttered, turning to look back at her now finished display. It was perfect. Though she could maybe do with just one more drawing. The door flung open and Toni Green stepped into the room, taking an extra glance down the hallway before closing the door.  
“Who was that?” She asked.  
“Prospective parent,” Emily replied.  
“Single dad? I could like that.”  
Emily laughed as she took her lunch out of her bag, and watched as Toni made her way to the window overlooking the playground.  
“He might not be single,” she said.  
“How do you concentrate looking at that on parents night?” Toni asked.  
“Looking at what?” Gabby Russo asked, entering the room.  
“Really hot, potentially single dad,” Toni answered, “come see.” He was now walking across the playground.  
“I have a girlfriend. I have mentioned that?” Gabby laughed, but she walked to the window anyway. “Even I have to admit that is some man.”  
Emily rolled her eyes as she sat at her desk and took out her phone. There was only one message. From Luca.  
Can you work tonight? Eva pulled out.  
Sure. Be there after school.  
From her desk she had a pretty good view of the playground and she did have to admit her friends were right. In other circumstances Mr Diaz would have been someone she’d have been very interested in. But he was a parent and most likely married. So that was never going to happen.  
“Aren’t you going to look?” Toni asked, turning around to look at Emily.  
“I’m getting to speak to him soon. I can do all the looking I want then,” Emily replied.  
“Private meeting? Priority is finding out if he’s single,” Toni replied.  
“He must be. Dads don’t do this stuff alone,” Gabby pointed out.  
“No wedding ring,” Toni noted.  
“Divorced then,” Gabby mused.  
“I’ll try and find out his whole life story. Don’t worry,” Emily said.  
“Em? Where’s Olivia’s change?” Beth asked, running in. Emily jumped up and hurried to her store.  
“Here. What happened?” She took out a little bag with Olivia’s name and handed it over.  
“She knocked over her chocolate milk,” Beth said. The second time this week, maybe a cup wasn’t the best idea. They’d have to check with her parents.  
“Beth, come here,” Toni said, motioning for Beth to join her at the window.  
“Look at him,” Gabby said.  
“Bit old for me. But I see the appeal,” Beth said.  
“Em doesn’t,” Toni said.  
“I do! I just don’t want to be caught staring out the window. Actually all of you get away from there,” Emily said. Imagining them turning around and seeing three teachers watching them from the window.  
“I need to get back to Olivia anyway,” Beth said.  
“Yes, because you’ve left her covered in chocolate milk. And I’m sure you two can find something to do in your own classrooms? Emily suggested.  
“Guess she doesn’t want us anymore,” Gabby said with a frown.  
“No. I don’t. Get out,” Emily laughed. The other three started laughing as they walked out of the classroom. When she heard the footsteps fading away she stood up and walked towards the window. Just for one last look.  
—————————

When Emily pulled into the car park the restaurant was still in darkness, she could see the office light and once again wondered if Luca had fallen asleep at his desk again. No matter how much she asked him to get help he was determined he could do it himself. He had her he claimed. She pulled her bag from the trunk of the car and reached into the front pocket for her main key. She unlocked the front door and used her phone torch to make her way to the light switches. The restaurant lit up and she looked around. The wall behind the main counter was covered in old photos, which could do with a dust. She’d do that tonight at some point.  
Her favourite was the one of her and her mom, standing on Santa Monica pier holding ice cream cones. She was nine with chocolate ice cream covering her freckled face. Her hair wasn’t as ginger now, one thing she was glad about. She was a ringer for Little Orphan Annie as a kid. That photo was from the summer before her mom got sick. It seemed like so long ago now.  
“Hi Pop.” She touched the photograph of herself and her grandfather standing on the step of Maria’s, with a smile. It had been five years, he’d be proud with what they had done. Even if Luca was wearing himself into the ground. Speaking of her cousin, she climbed the stairs up to the office and there he was, working away on the laptop.  
“Ready for another night?” Emily asked.  
“Always am,” Luca replied, closing the laptop and standing up. “You’re out front tonight.”  
“Suits me,” Emily said. It really suited her, they’d always halved the workload between the kitchen and the restaurant but if she had to admit she didn’t enjoy cooking for a hundred people. There were some creaks from downstairs, a sign that the rest of the evening staff had arrived. 

Maria’s had been in Downtown LA for over 50 years, started by two young first generation Italian-American brothers; eager to leave their mark on the world with what they believed was the best pizza outside of Italy. It had become part of the neighbourhood, a firm favourite of anyone who ate there. It was the family feel to it that made it special, and when the two brothers had decided it was time to move on it was passed on to their only grandchildren: Emily and Luca, running the restaurant had been Luca’s dream. It was all he had ever wanted, from being a child and watching his grandfather interact with customers and cook the food. Maria’s was his life. It wasn’t the same exactly for Emily, while it was her second home she knew when she was young that she couldn’t see herself there forever. Teaching was her calling, but she would always be free to lend a hand when Luca needed it. There was also the small fact that she was named after the restaurant, which in turn had been named after her grandmother. She was tied too strongly to the place to ever really leave it.  
Even her name tag said Emily Maria, initially it was a joke from Luca but her grandfather loved it, and how could she refuse him. 

Tuesday night’s were normally quiet, Emily was sitting at the greeter podium, writing out their holiday menu. There had only been a few phone orders and there were maybe ten people in the restaurant. Quiet was good though. It meant she could get school work done so she wouldn’t be up until 2am.  
“Half a spaghetti carbonara.” Luca place a small bowl of spaghetti in front of her and pulled up a chair to sit beside her. It was quiet enough that he was able to escape the kitchen for a bit  
“Too much cheese,” she said.  
“You’re never happy. Are you?” He laughed.  
“Not with your cooking,” she replied.  
“Uncle Enzo was right. You’re too fussy,” Luca said.  
“No. I’m just the better chef. Remember Uncle Luca telling me that?” She teased. It was something that used to annoy him, how his younger cousin had a clear natural talent for tastes, while he had to work that little bit harder.  
“How was school?” Luca changed the subject.  
“The usual. Think I’m getting a new student. I met his dad today,” Emily said.  
“Remember in school how we were different. No parents and a just a mom? And now it seems to be everyone.”  
“Yeah. It’s more common now. I can’t figure out if the mom’s in the picture or not. He sort of avoided any questions.”  
“Going through a rough patch maybe.” Emily nodded and grabbed the phone as it started to ring.  
“Ciao, you’ve reached Maria’s. Emily speaking. Would you like to place an order or reserve a table?”  
She reached for a pen and took the order for 6 extra large pizzas to be delivered to firehouse 118.  
“Got it. That’ll be $80 with delivery. You can pay cash to our driver. It should be there in 40 minutes. Bye.”  
She put down the phone, ripped off the ticket and gave it to Luca.  
“Back to work,” he said, standing up. “By the way, any word from your dad?”  
“You’re joking right?”  
“It’s still your birth week,” he replied.  
“Doubt father of the year knows that!” She knew the drill by now. Silence until about a week before Christmas, reminding her of the Mackensie Christmas Eve dinner that she had to attend. Where for 24 hours they would pretend she wasn’t the black sheep of the family.


	2. Chapter 2

“What’s scarier? Halloween or the day after?” Beth asked, hanging her bag on the back of the door. She already looked done with the day and it was only 8.25am.  
“For us. The day after. Hyper kids who had way too much sugar yesterday,” Emily laughed. “They’ve got gym first thing though. With that sports guy.” She was glad about that. Emily was not a sporty person. As a child gym was her least favourite subject and she had never grown to even slightly like it.  
“Thank god. I don’t think I could listen to Noah this morning,” Beth said.  
“So are you going to be in a mood all day? Should I warn the kids?” Emily asked, flicking open her diary. Her teaching assistant was normally pretty cheerful.  
“My house was egged last night. My car hit a nail on the road so the tyre is flat and three breakfast club kids ran into me as I walked in,” she said.  
“Well at least things come in threes,” Emily replied, trying to be optimistic, but the younger girl just glared at her. Emily opened her mouth as the phone rang.  
“Good morning.”  
“Morning Emily. Your new student is here. Shall I walk him down or are you coming up?” Brenda asked.  
“I’ll come down. Give me two minutes,”she replied, and put the phone down again. “I expect you to be happy when I get back.” Beth rolled her eyes but was smiling as Emily passed her.  
Emily bummed as she made her way to the school reception, she had the best night’s sleep and felt ready to take on the world. Though she knew the world could be easier than eleven, sorry, now twelve sugar high third graders.  
There was a little boy standing with a woman, she had been there the day of the father’s tour. Home help or something like that.  
“You must be Christopher.” Emily stopped a few feet away and the little boy turned around. He smiled up at her and she could feel her heart melt. He had the most adorable face. He didn’t look like his father, he was fairer skinned with lighter hair. She presumed he took after his mother who, according to Gabby, clearly was in the picture.  
The previous Friday she’d been going home when she had seen the new pupil’s parents kissing in the parking lot. A bit strange she thought, but each to their own.  
“You’re my teacher?” He asked.  
“Miss Mackensie. But most kids say Miss Mac,’ Emily said.  
“Hi Miss Mac,” he said.  
“I told you she’d be nice,” the woman said. “Carla Price. She shook Emily’s hand with a smile.  
“So Christopher, are you ready for your first day?” Emily asked.  
“Yeah!”  
“Your dad will be here to pick you up and then I want to know all about your first day,” Carla said.  
“Bye Carla,” Christopher said. She had to admit she was a little anxious leaving him, but he seemed happy as he began following his teacher up the corridor.  
As they walked Emily pointed out the bathrooms, cafeteria, library and private study rooms.  
“And this is our classroom,” she said, opening the door. Most of the kids had already arrived and looked up from the colouring and reading.  
“Good morning Miss Mac,” they said, though the nine pupils were looking at Christopher rather than their teacher.  
“Good morning everyone, we have a new student joining us today. Say hello to Christopher.” She led Christopher to the bag corner and showed him where he could hang his bag and coat.  
“So in the morning you put your bag here, your lunch goes in this basket and then you sit down. You get to share a table with Joey, Ria and Naomi.” The two girls were already sitting and she pointed him to the empty seat opposite Ria.  
“Hi,” Naomi said.  
“I’m Ria.” Christopher sat down with the girls, who Emily knew who tell the boy everything they knew about school.  
When the morning bell rang Mason stick his hand in the air.  
“Do we have gym now?” He asked. Emily nodded, she would never be allowed to forget gym class.  
“Yes, Miss Mitchell will take you down to the hall. Christopher, do you mind staying with me until we sort out all your books?” Emily knew it wasn’t fair not letting him go to gym. But the gym coach that the school had hired this year cause enough of a fuss when he saw Olivia, she didn’t want to deal with him complaining about another kid in the class.  
Christopher shook his head and stayed seated while everyone else lined up.  
“See you later Christopher!” Joey said, as he ran out at the back of the line. Emily stood up from her desk and motioned for Christopher to do the same.  
“Now you come here and I’ll pass you out your books,” Emily said, walking to her store. She opened the door and jumped up on the stool. “Let’s see. Math, English, History, Geography, Arts and other work.” As she called each subject she put a different coloured book in his hands. She then got down and they walked back into the classroom.  
“Now we just need to put your name on them. Did you have a good Halloween?”  
“Yeah. Me and daddy went trick or treating,” Christopher said.  
“And did you eat lots of candy?”  
“A bit. Wasn’t allowed to eat it all,” he replied.  
“So all your teeth don’t fall out. What did you dress up as?”  
“Wolverine!”  
“Oh. Do you like superheroes?”  
“Yeah. Daddy says I’m Superman.”  
The rest of the day went well, once the rest of the class came back they played getting to know you games before starting their real work for the day.  
“If I don’t see a clean floor in ten seconds no one is going home,” Emily said, looking around the room. There were bits of paper and colouring pencils everywhere. “Remember we agreed we would get better at cleaning up?” They were only eight but they could really do with learning to clean up.  
“Where do the glues go?” Parker asked, running up to her.  
“Where’s the lid?” Emily asked. The little girl looked at the glue stick and shrugged.  
“Here it is!” Blake said, walking up with it. Parker shoved it on and Emily took it from her and put it on the desk.  
“That looks much better. Has everyone got everything? Good. Line up. Bus kids first.” Emily led the line of kids from the classroom down first to the bus stop and then the final four to pick up.  
“There’s your mom Darcy. See you tomorrow. And your nanny Jamie.”  
“I can see Charlie Miss Mac,” Rosa said.  
“Go on then. Be careful crossing the road,” Emily said. Rosa’s brother preferred parking just outside the school grounds, the boy hadn’t mastered parking yet and the amount of cars at pick up time scared him. And she was left with Christopher.  
“Now what does your dad drive?” She asked, looking along the cars.  
“A big truck.” He said. “That’s it.” He pointed down to the end of the car park closest to the school entrance. The priority parking spaces. Of course.  
“Let’s go then.” The two of them walked by with Christopher rushing the last few steps into his dad’s arms.  
“Hey. Good day?” Mr Diaz asked.  
“The best,” Christopher said. Mr Diaz looked at Emily, wanting to confirm what Christopher said.  
“I think we got on pretty good. No major problems and he settled in well,” Emily said. “Talk to him tonight. If there were any problem at all let me know.”  
“I will. Thank you.”  
“We’ll see you tomorrow then.”  
“Bye Miss Mac,” Christopher said with a wave as she walked away.  
————————————   
Once the truck pulled out of the school gates, on to the road, Eddie looked back at Christopher who was watching everything pass by through the window.  
“Are you going to tell me about it?” He asked. Christopher smiled and launched into talking about his day. He talked about everything they learned, all of the kids in his class, what he had for lunch; even though Eddie had packed it, and his teacher. He was still talking when they pulled up to Abuela’s, she was on the porch waiting for them.  
Eddie lifted his son from the truck, and he was already telling his great grandmother about his day as he moved up the path. Eddie took out his phone, the 118 had asked for an update, he knew they’d be happy to know how he got on.  
He’s home. Don’t think he ever liked school so much. Loves his teacher  
He went to put his phone away again but stopped. He went back into messages and clicked the new message button.  
Chris loved it  
And sent it to Shannon. She deserved to know too, even if he wasn’t sure what was going to happen yet. Could they be a family again? Had it been too long? His plan was to let things happen, he only wanted what was best for Christopher. And honestly, he didn’t know yet if that was Shannon.


End file.
